Diet, Health and Disease
Background
The Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) describes a constellation of metabolic abnormalities that occur simultaneously including hyperinsulinemia, impaired glucose tolerance, dyslipidaemia (increased triacylglycerol (TAG) and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and reduced high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol concentrations) as well as hypertension and micro-albuminuria.
This condition was first coined ‘Syndrome X’ in 1988 and over the years several definitions and explanations of this syndrome have emerged including ‘Insulin Resistant Syndrome’, ‘Cardiometabolic Syndrome’ and ‘Dysmetabolic Syndrome’. At present the MetS is the most frequent name used to describe this multi-component disorder that predicts the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease.
In 2010, it was reported that approximately 31 million European required treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus and its related complications. On a global level, diabetes affects 190 million people, approximately 2% of the word’s population and this figure is set to escalate to 324 million by 2025, unless effective treatment is enforced.
Many factors such as environment, genetic predisposition and the ‘thrifty genotype’ have been suggested to be involved in the etiology of the MetS, making it a polygenic, multi-factorial and complex disease. However, as the human genome is known to be relatively stable, variable environmental factors, such as diet and physical activity, become important to investigate. This may imply that diet, nutrition and one’s lifestyle habits may play an integral role in the increased occurrence of type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease.
Objectives
The objectives of this task force are:
- To provide an in-depth understanding of the potential genetic and environmental risk factors that predict the development of the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus;
- To investigate the interactions between the classical and novel components of the metabolic syndrome;
- To determine the efficacy of improving diet and lifestyle habits for the management, prevention and possibly the reversal of metabolic syndrome and its related complications;
- To communicate the outcomes to decision-makers of the European Union, the World Health Organization, relevant scientific and patient organisations, and health professionals.
Impact
In December 2011, the Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes task force proudly published a systematic review on the impact of nutrition and dietary factors on low-grade inflammation, as a supplement in the British Journal of Nutrition (Calder et al., 2011). This unique review provides the basis for the initiation of a number of breakthrough projects in the field.
The above-mentioned review together with the current project on “Nutritional Management of Post-Prandial Glycaemia” will be presented at the ILSI Europe session which will be held at the European Congress of Obesity (9 May 2012 in Lyon, France).
Furthermore, this task force produced a concise monograph on type 2 diabetes providing basic recommendations for the general population to reduce the risk of a growing epidemic. It also provides an overview of the nutritional aspects to be taken into account when counseling people with diabetes and pre-diabetic conditions. The concise monograph continues to be widely distributed.
Activities
Symposium on “Low Grade Inflammation: A Comprehensive Overview” - Biomarkers and Modulation by Dietary Strategies
The Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes Task Force will organise and host a two-day symposium entitled ‘Low Grade Inflammation: A Comprehensive Overview’.
Although the focus will be on the inflammatory component of the metabolic syndrome including an overview of adipose tissue, liver and muscle inflammation, the symposium will also cover other chronic diseases that involve inflammation. These include vascular diseases, such as heart disease and stroke, and also dementia (neuroinflammation). The main areas covered by the programme focus on:
- Low grade inflammation and disease progression;
- Dietary modulation of low grade inflammation;
- Biomarkers of inflammatory status;
- Current and future status of inflammatory based health claims.
Nutritional Management of Post-Prandial Glycaemia
The International Diabetes Federation report on ‘The Guideline for Management of Post Meal Glucose’ has advocated controlling post-prandial glycaemia by nutritional means. This new activity will build on this recommendation by developing nutritional strategies based on the evaluation of the evidence. Increasingly significant and warranting further investigation are the 2nd and 3rd meal effects and the interactions of the macronutrients within the food matrix on physiological responses such as gastric emptying. The aim is to bring considerable value to the field of type 2 diabetes (and pre-diabetes) management.
Expert Group on Dietary Factors and Low Grade Inflammation in Relation to Overweight and Obesity
Low-grade inflammation has been linked to, amongst other health outcomes, cardiovascular disease. It is one feature of the metabolic syndrome and often seen in the overweight and obese population.
This expert group finalised a systematic review on the impact of nutrition and dietary factors on low-grade inflammation which were published as a supplement in the British Journal of Nutrition. The aim of the project was to begin to answer important questions such as:
- Does eating a typically unhealthy diet pre-dispose to a condition of low-grade inflammation over time?
- Is it possible to treat people with low-grade inflammation via nutritional intervention?
- What are the acute vs. chronic effects of dietary factors on low-grade inflammation?
- What is the role of physical activity in prevention inflammatory conditions?
- Which biomarkers can be used to adequately describe the above?
Task Force Collaborators
Members - 2012
Dr. Mirian Lansink - Chair - |
Danone |
NL |
| Dr. Sophie Vinoy - Co-Chair - |
Kraft Foods Europe |
FR |
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Dr. Clemens Erdelmeier |
Schwabegroup |
DE |
Ms. Ellie Hadjilucas |
Coca-Cola Europe |
UK |
Dr. Sampo Lahtinen |
DuPont Nutrition Biosciences |
FI |
Prof. Anne-Marie Minihane* |
University of East Anglia |
UK |
Dr. Hervé Nordmann |
Ajinomoto Europe |
CH |
| Mr. Luc Sterkman |
Newtricious |
NL |
Mr. Daniel Wils |
Roquette Group |
FR |
| |
|
|
Ms. Athanasia Baka |
ILSI Europe |
BE |
Mr. Frederic Timmermans |
ILSI Europe |
BE |
* Scientific Advisor
Nutritional Management of Postprandial Glycaemia
Dr. Wendy Russell - Chair - |
University of Aberdeen |
UK |
| |
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Prof. Inger Björck |
University of Lund |
SE |
Prof. Nathalie Delzenne |
Université Catholique de Louvain |
BE |
| Dr. Dan Gao |
Liverpool University |
UK |
Prof. Helen Griffiths |
Aston University |
UK |
| Ms. Ellie Hadjilucas |
Coca-Cola Europe |
BE |
Dr. Sampo Lahtinen |
DuPont Nutrition Biosciences |
FI |
Dr. Mirian Lansink |
Danone |
NL |
Prof. Massimo Massi-Benedetti |
International Diabetes Federation |
IT |
Prof. Hannu Mykkänen |
University of Kuopio |
FI |
| Prof. Gabriele Riccardi |
Federico II University, Medical School |
IT |
Dr. Luc van Loon |
Maastricht University |
NL |
Dr. Sophie Vinoy |
Kraft Foods Europe |
FR |
| |
|
|
Ms. Athanasia Baka |
ILSI Europe |
BE |
Expert Group on Dietary Factors and Low Grade Inflammation in relation to Overweight and Obesity
Prof. Philip Calder - Chair - |
University of Southampton |
UK |
| |
|
|
Dr. Namanjeet Ahluwalia |
University of Paris - INSERM |
FR |
Prof. Fred Brouns |
Cargill (now working at Maastricht University) |
NL |
Dr. Timo Buetler |
Nestlé |
CH |
Prof. Karine Clément / Dr. Salwa Rizkalla |
Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière - INSERM |
FR |
Dr. Karen Cunningham |
Coca-Cola Europe |
UK |
Dr. Katherine Esposito |
University of Naples |
IT |
Prof. Hubert Kolb |
University of Düsseldorf |
DE |
Dr. Mirian Lansink |
Danone |
NL |
Prof. Ascensión Marcos Sánchez |
Spanish National Research Council |
ES |
Prof. Andrew Margioris |
University of Crete |
GR |
Dr. Jolene McMonagle |
Kellogg Europe |
IE |
Dr. Nathan Matusheski |
Kraft Foods Europe |
UK |
Prof. John O’Brien |
Nestlé |
CH |
Dr. Hervé Nordmann |
Ajinomoto Europe |
CH |
Dr. Giuseppe Pugliese |
University of Rome |
IT |
Dr. Casper Schalkwijk |
Maastricht University |
NL |
Dr. Jaakko Tuomilehto |
University of Helsinki |
FI |
Prof. Bernhard Watzl |
Max Rubner-Institute (MRI) |
DE |
Dr. Julia Wärnberg |
University of Navarra |
ES |
Prof. Brigitte Winklhofer-Roob |
University of Graz |
AT |
| |
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|
Ms. Athanasia Baka
Dr. Lena Jönsson |
ILSI Europe
ILSI Europe |
BE
BE |
Publications